Definitely, Maybe
by EmilyRose09
Summary: At his young daughter's urging, Lucas Scott, a man on the cusp of divorce, reminisces about his past romances and has her guess which one became her mother. Canon. Inspired by movie. Set ten years later.
1. Love is Complicated

**Disclaimer: Occasional dialogue (especially in the first chapter) from the movie_ Definitely, Maybe, _and eventually from OTH. The title obviously comes from the movie and the whole concept as well. I own neither and I never will.**

**A/N: This story is set tens years after season 6, making everyone about thirty-two or just early thirties. This concept comes from the movie _Definitely, Maybe_, so if you've seen that or heard about it you should have a basic idea where I'm going with this. The story is completely canon. This is just my interpretation of what would eventually happen years later. This chapter doesn't feature any of Lucas' main girlfriends, but the following chapter will heavily feature all three in flashbacks. Also, Sawyer Brooke Scott is a vital part of this story, so even if you hate her mother, bear with me. Sawyer will be awesome. Side note, _italics_ are Lucas' thoughts.**

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Chapter 1: Love is Complicated

Lucas Scott ripped open the envelope, feeling a growing sense of reality wash over him. He'd been living in denial these past few months, hoping for an outcome better than this. But alas, his efforts had been futile and far between. It had led him to this specific point of time—this disillusionment of his marriage.

He slowly, numbingly pulled out the divorce papers. He wanted more than anything to come to peace with this fate, but there was something holding him back. His memories kept him in the past, unable to find any acceptable future.

_I don't think anyone ever imagines on their wedding day they'll be part of the 46% that doesn't live happily ever after,_ he thought to himself bitterly, reading the artistic signature his wife printed on the _sign here_ line, effectively sealing their divorce. _Then again_, he considered,_ I never thought I'd still be working on a third novel after ten years either, and paying the bills by editing the work of others._

_But Tuesdays and Fridays are my favorite days. I get out of work early, and I go pick up my daughter, Sawyer, from school. She makes it all worth it._

* * *

Sawyer Scott meant many things to many people. She was a miracle to her mother, a chatterbox to her cousins, and a treasured angel to her father.

Lucas knew he had made many a mistake in his life, but Sawyer was never one of them. She was cute, logical, and well-above her years intelligence-wise. She had a deep love of learning that she shared with her father, and she also had his same dark soulful blue eyes that contrasted with her curly locks of sunflower blond hair that fell just above her shoulders.

If he was being honest, he was completely in awe of his daughter. She was just ten years in age, but she had this wise, opinionated look to her whenever she wanted something. It was the same look she had now as she sat on the other side of the room, seated at his newly acquired dinner table while he leaned against the wall watching her.

"I think you should tell me the story of you and my mom," she told him plainly, all business-like.

He deflected in true Scott fashion. He moved over to one of the moving boxes and began to unpack it. He'd been back living there a month already; it was time he made Tree Hill home again.

"Why do you keep saying _my mom_?" he demanded, avoiding eye contact. "Like I've never met her?"

She bit her lip, searching for reason. "Well, because now that you're getting divorced, she's _mine_, not yours."

"Is that so?" He tried to sound emotionless. It was bad enough for his daughter that they were splitting up the family. He didn't need to add to her confusion and pain.

"Tell me how it happened," she ordered once more.

He'd forgotten just how alike she and her mother were sometimes. Sawyer also had the wild hair, the never-ending passion, but most importantly, she seemed to have that uncanny ability to pull at his heartstrings and make him cave on any matter.

"And the real story," she continued easily. "Not the, "Oh, we met, we fell in love, and we decided to take all that love and make a family, and that's how we made you.'"

And_ that_ reminded Lucas just how unlike her mother she really was in other ways. She was never indifferent or indecisive. Sawyer knew what she wanted, when she wanted it, and how to get it. It was amazing and terrifying all at the same time.

Lucas moved back into the kitchen to check on the dinner he'd been preparing especially for his daughter's one night visit. "You know something?" he told her. "I'm gonna tell you the real, true story of how me and your mother met."

She sighed. "When I'm old enough?" she assumed out loud.

He took no hesitation with his answer of, "Yep."

"Look. I know love isn't a fairytale," she continued her refusal to back down.

"_Really_?" His voice held a hint of sarcasm. He'd also forgotten that Sawyer wasn't a dreamer like her mother. She was much more down to earth and grounded.

"Really," his daughter confirmed, standing up and walking over to him, leaving no room for him to escape her precious doe-like eyes. "Did you have another girlfriend before you met her?"

He gave her a look—one that indicated he really didn't want to get into this with her.

"Come on, tell me the truth," Sawyer requested.

His heart beat nervously, gauging her reaction. "I had two serious girlfriends," he finally admitted. "And then some other, a smattering of other women that I dated." Sawyer eyed him quizzically. "What?" he questioned.

"What's the boy word for slut?" she asked pointedly.

Wasn't he just a beaming parental example? "They still haven't come up with one yet, but I'm sure they're working on it."

She brushed it aside all the same. "I'm guessing you weren't her first boyfriend. Maybe it was some nerdy guy, or maybe he was mean."

_Jackpot_, Lucas thought, thinking of his half-brother and Sawyer's uncle. Nathan definitely fit the latter part of her guesses back in high school.

"You still have to tell me the story of why you fell in love with her." Sawyer was on an investigating streak with no chance of backing down.

"I fell in love with her because she was smart and beautiful and dedicated," Lucas said almost sadly, remembering the glory days when their relationship was all romantic passion and angst and no fighting.

"So now she's stupid and ugly and dispassionate?" Sawyer shot back, challenging. No one talked bad about her mother.

"Of course not," Lucas clarified, allowing a crooked smile to creep onto his features. "I see you're making good use of that dictionary I bought you for your birthday."

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't change the subject, Dad." She softened a little. "Then what's the problem? You still see mom the same way as always."

"It's complicated, Sawyer." Lucas ran his hand through his hair, frustrated to no end. Sawyer was just ten. She didn't know the ways of the world and the ins and outs of love. She'd never understand the reasons for this divorce. He still struggled with it himself.

"Everything with you is so complicated." She didn't know the half of it, but she was on the right track. "I bet that if you just told me the story, you'd realize that it's not complicated at all. That you just," she paused, adding deep emotion, "_love her_." It was almost a plea.

Lucas took a deep breath. "I know this is tough for you, but what are you thinking? That I'm gonna tell you this story and it's gonna make everything better? You can't force people to fall back in love and forget their problems. It doesn't work that way."

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Tell me and we'll find out," she begged.

"No," he whispered harshly. "Game over. It's time for dinner."

"No, it's not time for dinner!" she shouted back at him in her high-pitched melodic voice. "It's time for you to tell me the story!"

He groaned. Couldn't she just give up for once? "Sawyer," he whined desperately.

"I need to know!" she yelled forcibly. She saw the light flicker in his eyes—the one that showed just how powerless he was against her. "I need to know," she repeated softly, knowing this battle was already won.

"Fine!" He'd do anything for his little girl. "Fine!" he said again, knowing he'd give into her every demand, even if this conversation would open up a part of history that ran deeper than she could possibly know. "I'm gonna tell you the story."

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**********Review! Or else I will take a selfishly long time to update! ;) JK. Kinda. **


	2. When I Met

**Disclaimer: Whole lotta dialogue from OTH. Various episodes. Still own nothing! Teensy bit from the movie. **

**A/N: Whew! I pumped this baby out quick! That's usually what happens when I'm this inspired. So I hope ya'll like where I'm heading with this. Chapter two will give you a sense of the style for the rest of the story. Also, please no bashing of other couples, at least yet. This is supposed to be the good sides of each relationship. For now, that is. _Italics _are past tense. Review!**

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Chapter 2: When I Met...

"I'm gonna tell you the story," Lucas caved, surrendering to his daughter's adorably manipulative ways, like always. "But I'm not telling you who your mom is," he tacked on.

"Fine," Sawyer shot back all too eagerly.

"You're just gonna have to figure it out for yourself," he continued soberly, willing her to stop him before he even started. There wouldn't be a happy ending in this. For _anyone._

"Good," she responded excitedly, refusing to be turned off by his slightly negative attitude. "I like it. It's like a love story mystery."

Lucas watched as his daughter went back over to the table and sat down, placing her elbows down and holding her head up in front of her as she anxiously waited for him to begin.

"You ready?" he asked her, and he was rewarded with one of her bright, infectious smiles.

"Yep." She leaned forward. "Go ahead."

"Okay." He sucked in a breath, exhaling loudly for effect. "Once upon a time, before iPhones and Twilight, in 2003 to be exact, in a little town called Tree Hill, North Carolina, there lived a young man named Lucas Scott. Now, this young man was deeply, _deeply_ in love with a girl. Small problem: she didn't know he existed until the day her car broke down."

And he was soon lost in the memory**_..._**

**... **_Lucas pressed the lever backward, a metal whirring sounding as the girl's car was connected and lifted onto the tow truck. "That's me inside your head," he'd spoken before he could help himself. He'd noticed her sticker and wanted to impress her with their similar tastes in music, but he soon noted the confused expression she gave him after he'd said it. _

_"What?" she asked him passively._

_"NOFX," he clarified, pointing at the cover of her sketchbook._

_They were an American punk rock band and he wasn't surprised at all that she liked them. She looked so girly and fragile yet her attitude was anything but. "That's me inside your head," he sang to refresh her memory. "It's the lyrics from—"_

_"I know the song," she cut him off, scratching her head like she wanted to be anywhere but there with him._

_He walked away, watching as she dialed someone assumably to come pick her up. "Nathan," she spoke into the phone, sounding irritated to no end. "It's me. All right. Well, listen. My car broke down and you're gonna have to come pick me up." There was a pause as she listened to Nathan's response. "So leave the gym," she griped._

_Lucas looked up, pitying her and her poor taste in boyfriends._

_"Listen, it'll take you like ten minutes." She sounded desperate, but eased ever-so-slightly when Nathan must have asked for her location. "I'm on River road around the curve." And then he clearly complained some more. "Well, sucks to be you." She pressed end, a beep the only noise in the deadening silence that surrounded them at the lake._

_Lucas walked back up to her, looking to be her knight in shining armor, looking to make a lasting impression. "Listen, are you sure you gotta a ride? I can wait if you want." He handed her some papers to sign._

_"Yeah, that's what I want," she snapped back, all sarcasm, writing her signature down sharply. "Listen, have your dad call me with an estimate." She handed it back._

_"My uncle," he interjected, reluctantly taking it from her._

_She shrugged. "If that's your story."_

_He chuckled at her blatant rigid and fractious behavior. He walked away, but rebounded back just a moment later. "Can I ask you a question?"_

_She appeared bored. "It's a free country."_

_"Why are you a cheerleader?" he questioned, genuinely curious. "I mean, no offense or anything, but you're about the least cheery person I know**...**"_

_**... **_Lucas set down a bowl of pasta in front of his daughter, sliding a glass of milk over to her. "Time for dinner," he announced.

Sawyer lifted the fork, stabbed her food, and took one much too big bite. "That's it?" she inquired through a full mouth, sounding rather unimpressed. "That's how you met mom?"

Lucas smiled. "I didn't say that. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. I told you I had two other girlfriends. I'm going to tell you the stories of how I met all three."

Her lips perked up as she swallowed a second bite. "Cool. I like that girl already, though. She sounds like she would make a good mom. All feisty and commanding. I just don't know if she's _my_ mom."

Lucas raised his eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Everyone knows that the girl in the beginning of the story always gets dumped."

"You can't possibly know that," he argued, serving himself up his own bowl.

She pursed her lips. "Fine. Tell me the next one."

"Okay," he allowed. "Once upon a time, a few weeks later, after I'd joined the Ravens basketball team, I met the next girl. Let's call her...Brooke. It was right after I'd made the winning shot in one of my first ever varsity games. Everyone was offering congratulations, praising me for that last spectacular shot. It was a great night. Little did I know, there was a small surprise waiting for me back in my car."

And again he was enraptured by a past memory**_..._**

_... Lucas opened his car door, setting his athletic bag on the passenger seat before sliding in. He rubbed his forehead, still exhausted yet exhilarated from the recent game when he saw a moving figure out of the corner of his eye. A person__—_a girl more specifically. A nearly naked_ girl._

_"Hey, you," she spoke seductively as she sat up straight._

_Lucas laughed uncomfortably, turning around for just a moment to get a peek at who it was. Brooke Davis. The most popular girl at Tree Hill High was in _his_ backseat, wearing only a bra for a top. His eyes traveled downward before his whole body shot forward, working to be a gentlemen and give her some privacy, even with the obvious temptation she offered. "I think you've got the wrong car."_

_She smiled like she found his awkward reaction unbearably cute. "Nah, don't mind me. I just have to get out of this uniform." She pulled off her skirt. "So, uh, anyway, I'm Brooke," she introduced herself, clearly flirting with him. "But you probably knew that. Can I tell you that that last shot was awesome?" She leaned over his shoulder. "How'd it feel? Good, huh?" Their eyes met, hers were all intense fire, burning into his. "You know it did."_

_And suddenly there was a knock on his car door. Brooke shot backward, working to hide in his backseat while Lucas rolled down the window to find his coach smiling down at him._

_"That game wasn't horrible," Whitey commended him._

_Lucas was desperately trying to be cool, but the image of perfect alabaster skin was imprinted into memory. "Thanks, Coach."_

_"Well don't turn pro yet," he advised. "You drag your scrawny butt to the weight room twice a day, starting now." He winked despite his demands before beginning to walk away._

_"Got it," Lucas said back._

_"Oh, um, by the way." Whitey walked back over. "There's a half-naked girl in the backseat of your car. I just thought you'd like to know." He tipped his hat to him before widening his eyes—a suggestion that Lucas take care of that particular situation fast._

_"Grouch," Brooke commented after he'd finally left, pulling a light pink sweater on, finally covering herself._

_Lucas laughed at the ridiculousness of this turn of events. That morning had anyone told him that he'd be in this type of predicament he never would have believed it. It was so unlikely that Brooke would pay any attention to him at all, and now she seemed to be hitting on him. _

_"So anyway..." Brooke leaned closer to him again, smiling that brilliant, dimpled smile of hers. "You're in it now, aren't you? When that last shot went through, did you feel it change?"_

_"Feel what change?" he asked interestedly._

_"Everything," she told him knowingly. "I mean, how many moments in life can you point to and say, "that's when it all changed?'" Lucas offered no answer. "You just had one." She brushed his shoulder lightly with her hand. "Don't worry, baby. This popularity thing's not so bad." And now they were just inches away._

_"You want a ride?" he asked, blood pumping much more vigorously than ever before._

_She kinked an eyebrow. "Depends. Is that all you'll be giving me?" Her lips grazed his cheek**...**_

**_... _**Sawyers' brow furrowed. "Whoa. Brooke sounds _really_ forward." She ate her last pasta noodle and downed any remaining milk. "She must've really liked you to go to all the trouble."

Lucas picked up her cleared glass and plate and set them into the sink. "What do you mean?"

"Breaking into you car. How did she even know how to do that? And taking off her clothes? She must've been really comfortable with her body."

Lucas half-laughed, half-coughed at her analysis. "She had every reason to be confident. Trust me." A thought occurred to him then; he didn't know how Sawyer's mother would feel about him telling her these quasi-sexual stories. Maybe he should dial it back? "But she was insecure in a lot of other ways," he told her as a distraction.

Sawyer eyed him, intrigued. "Like what?"

He shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm telling you how I _met_ each girl. We're not getting into specifics just yet."

She slumped back in her seat. "Fine. What happened with the last girl?"

"First things first." He went around and held his arms open in front of her. "Let's get you ready for bed, sweetie."

Sawyer pushed herself up from the table and jumped into his waiting arms. Lucas threw her around his shoulder and trudged into his old room that was really just Sawyer's room now for when it was his turn to get her for a night. There was no other women in his life but her. There was no one else that would stay with him anymore. Or maybe ever again.

* * *

Sawyer spread out on the bed, her curly mess of blond hair scattered around her pillow. She snuggled comfortably, letting her dad tuck her in tightly like he used to when she was a toddler.

"We can pick this up in the morning," he told her, brushing some hair off her forehead. "You can catch up on some sleep. You had a long day." He was sitting on the edge of her bed, just about to get up and go to sleep himself.

Sawyer shook her head energetically. "No way. You promised to tell me the story of how you met _all_ three of them. I still need the last one." She smiled, guilting him into it like the pro that she was, always getting her way.

"Fine." He inhaled deeply. "But after this you're going to bed."

She shook her head in agreement.

"Okay. Once upon a time, many years later, I was a college student struggling to get my book published until one day when I received a phone call. It was an editor_—_a woman that loved my work enough that she actually wanted to publish it. She asked me to come to New York to meet with her and her boss. It was the moment that my biggest dream came true."

He was lost for a third time**_..._**

**_... _**_Lucas had taken a shower at the hotel. Or maybe he'd taken two? He couldn't remember anymore. He'd changed his outfit five times and still wasn't satisfied with the outcome. The jeans and the plaid white shirt? It hardly screamed successful author of future best-selling novel._

_They'd asked to meet him at a bar. He wasn't sure how he thought about that. Was that what every impressive New Yorker did when they wanted to seal a business deal?_

_"Lucas Scott?" a feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to find an attractive young woman wearing a black business-type shirt and a high-waisted skirt. She looked professional and impossibly intelligent. Next to her was a much older man in a clearly expensive suit._

_"Yeah?" Lucas was surprised by the pairing. "And you are?"_

_"Daniel Pratt." The man stepped forward, shaking Lucas' hand tightly. He nodded toward his companion. "And this here is the future editor for that novel of yours." _

_"You're who I talked with on the phone?" Lucas questioned, eyeing the girl up and down, sizing her up. _

_The girl smiled brightly back at him. She looked so sweet and friendly. It was a breath of fresh air in a city like that. "I am," she confirmed. She also stepped forward and grasped his hand in greeting. "It's great to finally put a face with the character, Lucas. Your words precede you."_

_He laughed quietly at her flattery. "So what all do I have to sign to get going on this?"_

_"All the paperwork will happen next week," Lindsey told him. "Tonight is just about relaxing and enjoying yourself, and getting to know who you'll be working with from here on out."_

_"All right." Lucas tried to relax but he was too giddy with excitement. "I'm sorry. I'm just...so ready to dig in. I still can't believe you're actually publishing An Unkindness of Ravens. I never thought it would happen."_

_"We normally wouldn't for someone as young as you are, Mr. Scott, even if it were great work," Daniel jumped in, grabbing a glass of champagne as a waiter brought it by. "Don't get me wrong, the writing is good. But I'm not going to lie to you, when we found out your father was a convicted murderer...I mean, that's exactly the kind of hook we need in today's market."_

_Lucas was turned off by that. He didn't want to live in that scandal's shadow his whole life. This was his fresh start. _

_"I think our newest literary talent needs a drink," the woman saved him from answering, grasping his arm reassuringly as she pulled him away from the silver-haired Daniel._

_"Well, when you're done let's talk about changing that title," Daniel called after them._

_Lucas was frustrated. He turned to the woman. "What's wrong with the title?"_

_She rolled her eyes. "They say that about every book. I love the title. A murder of crows. A parliament of owls."_

_"You know, you seem a little young to be an editor," Luke cut her off, not bothering to hide his skepticism._

_"Yeah. Well, you seem kinda young to have a book being published," she teased back._

_He decided right then and there that he liked her. "Fair enough." They sat down at the bar together, readying to celebrate their mutual newfound success._

_"The truth is your novel's my first," she informed him. "I graduated last year. My dad runs the company, but I need to prove myself like everyone else, maybe more."_

_Lucas smiled, appreciating her candor. "I know how _that_ is."_

_They seemed to be connecting. Lucas didn't know why, but he thought she was just the person to bring his story to the public eye. He wouldn't trust anyone more._

_"Luke, I don't care who you father is. I read a lot of manuscripts, but yours was the first one that _actually_ spoke to me." She smiled again and it made him want to smile along with her. "I mean, yeah, there's some rough parts, but your writing has truth, soul."_

_"Rough parts?" Lucas echoed, his pride on the line._

_"Look, I promise as your editor I'll always be faithful to your voice, but there's some work to do."_

_Lucas started panicking. He couldn't let his words be changed. It depicted his whole life story and that was too intimate to alter._

_"It'll take six months before it's ready for publication," she went on. "Maybe a little longer."_

_"That long?" He was surprised and not too excited about the upcoming work ahead of him. _

_"Yep. We're talking late hours, long nights, heated arguments." Her tone turned slightly suggestive. "It will probably feel like we're married**..."**_

**_... _**Lucas drifted back to the present, feeling undeniably nostalgic at going down memory lane all night.

"So she's my mother?" Sawyer asked, half-asleep.

Lucas leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Why would you think that, pumpkin?"

She opened her eyes hazily. "She said it would feel like you're married..."

He snickered tiredly. "Trust me, Sawyer. There's a lot more to come before this story is over, and I promise that I'll tell you, okay? _Tomorrow_." He patted her arm one more time and got up from the bed, heading over to the door.

She smiled contently up at his retreating back. "So today was how you met them all. What will tomorrow be?"

He turned back to look at his favorite girl in the whole world. "What would you like to hear about?"

She closed her eyes and rolled over, muttering a quiet, "First kisses," before falling soundly asleep.

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**A/N: Updates will likely never be this quick again! Enjoy! Review!**


	3. Kiss Me Slowly

******A/N: Let's be honest, I definitely own OTH and all of its characters. Oh, wait. I'm not Mark Schwahn. Nevermind then. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I have so much in store, you guys, but rest assured that this is a Brucas story. There will be numerous flashbacks with other girlfriends, but if you've seen the movie you should know that that's just part of the process. Stick with this and it will continually get back to those main two.**

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Chapter 3: Kiss Me Slowly

Sawyer pulled on her shoe in the entryway, balancing on one foot simultaneously. "What was the first girl's name again?" she asked her father, eyeing him with scrutiny.

Lucas smiled at his daughter's wiliness. "I'm changing all the names and some of the facts, kiddo. That won't help you figure out which one is your mother." He ruffled her hair playfully. "But nice try."

She pouted momentarily before quickly regrouping. "Okay. Fine. For the purpose of _your_ story, what's the first girl's name?"

Lucas scratched his chin, considering. "Let's call her," he paused, finding it difficult to give the girl any name but her actual one, "Raleigh," he offered at last.

"_Raleigh_?" Sawyer repeated, dumbfounded at the strange name.

Luke shrugged. "Unusual name for an unusual girl," he supplied, but Sawyer kept giving him a look. "What? It's all I could come up with on the spot."

She shook her head mock-disappointedly. "And you call yourself a writer."

Lucas frowned. "I thought it was fitting."

"You named her after a town," Sawyer argued amusedly.

"I don't see a problem with that," Lucas countered. "Now, grab your coat. We're hitting the town today."

"For the story? Are you showing me all the spots you went with your girlfriends?"

Lucas let out an inevitable sigh of impatience. He'd really been hoping his daughter would get over her fixation with his love life overnight. Apparently not. "Not exactly. I thought we'd get some breakfast at the Café." He eyed her hopefully.

"Okay." She grabbed her small, specially-made leather jacket and pulled it on. "But then you have to tell me about your first kisses. Don't forget."

He couldn't if he wanted to. She'd be there to remind him.

* * *

The door to Karen's Café sounded as they pushed through to the inside, a small resounding ding breaking even the noisiest of chatter in customers.

Lucas still couldn't believe that the place was back, considering just how many years it had been.

After his mom had packed up and left town, closing the restaurant with her, Lucas had thought he wouldn't see the place in its former glory ever again.

He wouldn't see another cup of coffee poured or another piece of pie served, but two of his favorite people had seen otherwise. He didn't know if he could be more grateful. It helped make Tree Hill home again.

Lucas ushered his daughter into the Café, spotting his best friend since childhood waiting diligently on a table by the window. She took the family's order and went over to the cash register before finally realizing the identity of her two newest patrons. She broke into a wide smile at the sight of them.

"How's that lousy husband of yours?" Lucas demanded jokingly, swiping two menus from behind the counter.

Haley just shook her head in shock before she ran out to him from behind the counter and hugged him tightly. "Lucas Scott," she greeted warmly.

"Hales." He hugged her back just as tightly, even though it had only been a week since they'd last talked. She was so enthusiastic about seeing him, like she was proud for some reason.

"You've been living like a hermit at that house. I've been waiting for you to come here." She shoved him lightly. "Took you long enough."

Lucas scratched his head guiltily. "I know. I'm sorry. I've been pretty preoccupied." He stepped backward to let Sawyer come into view. She smiled tentatively up at her aunt.

"Sawyer Scott," Haley addressed the girl in a loving tone. "You look more and more like your parents everyday." She moved forward, entrapping her young, spunky niece into her arms. "It's been so long since I last saw you. _Years_."

Sawyer continued to smile that quiet, heartfelt smile she'd inherited from her mother. "You look the same," she conversed obligately.

Haley laughed, grinning at Luke. "This one's a keeper, Lucas. She sure has a way with words."

Lucas narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "_Too_ good."

Haley saw his expression. She grabbed the two menus out of his grasp and handed them to Sawyer. "Hey, sweetheart. Can you do your dad and I favor?"

Sawyer pursed her lips, genuinely pondering the question. "I suppose so."

Haley pointed to one of the few open tables. "You go sit over there and decide what you want to order. I just need a quick word with your dad before he can join you."

Sawyer wasn't gullible or naive, but she opted to listen to authority for once, heading over to the table.

Lucas felt nervous. Haley had been giving him some harsh words of criticism lately. For his own good, admittedly, but it was still tough to deal with her. Her marriage was still going strong, while his had imploded before they'd even hit the decade mark.

"I thought we talked about this," Haley spoke when they were alone, nodding toward his ring finger. It still wore the same simple gold band as it had the past ten years. "You can't live in the past, Lucas. Let her _go_."

"You know she's never made that very easy," he challenged.

She breathed heavily. "Maybe so, but you've got Sawyer to think about. You need to let it go—the marriage—so she can too."

Lucas cracked his knuckles nervously. "That might be a problem. The little rugrat can't seem to stop asking me to tell her the story of how we met."

Her eyes widened. "Lucas, that's a horrible idea. She just wants you to realize you're still in love with her."

Luke nodded. "You don't think I know that? When I drop her off at her mom's tonight, she's going to go on and on about this."

"So get her to stop," Haley urged.

Lucas groaned. "How? It's not that simple, Haley. Besides, she has a right to know. You know, my mom always kept me in the dark for too long about my background. Like the fact that I shared a dad with the jerk on my little league team. Sawyer should know about us. She should know why we loved each other once and why we don't feel the same way anymore."

"You're on a slippery slope, Lucas Scott," Haley warned him.

"I know what I'm doing," he told her quietly before making his way over to the table and joining his daughter.

"I sure hope so," Haley mumbled as he left.

* * *

"You know what you want?" Lucas asked Sawyer as he sat down across from her.

"You mean, besides an in depth look at your private life?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "What do you want for_ breakfast_?"

Her eyes sparkled. "I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you what I want to eat after you tell me about your first kiss with Raleigh."

He groaned again. "Do I have a choice in the matter?"

She shook her head. "Do you ever?"

"Fine." He dragged in a long breath, prolonging the process. "But you asked for it," he warned. "It was about a month or so into my junior year. I was at a party—a basketball appreciation event—and the night led to some very interesting developments**_..._**_"_

_**...** Lucas stood to the side of the mansion's courtyard, the dim night air matching his doleful expression, only to be brightened by the soft hanging lights above him. The party's younger attendees and his fellow basketball team members were beside him, enjoying themselves much more thoroughly than he, until skinny, revealing legs walked up to him._

_His cerulean eyes found olive green, and suddenly his night became better. His twin soul was finally there with him. The girl he'd waited his whole life for. His dream girl. Raleigh._

_"I haven't seen you much tonight," she said to him, sounding happy to have rectified that problem._

_"Yeah, I know," he responded in his huskiest voice. "Everytime I get within about five feet of you—"_

_"Brooke happens," she offered._

_"Or Nathan," he countered._

_She shuffled awkwardly on her feet, crossing her arms. "Loose ends," she explained. "Those are all tied up now." She noticed a hint of red marks on his cheek. "Looks like she got you." Her hand touched his face as she laughed. "Right here."_

_"Thanks," he told her appreciatively._

_Brooke came ambling forward, appearing slightly intoxicated. The red plastic cup in her hand didn't help her case. "Listen up, everybody." And as usual, everyone turned to face the stunning brunette in the devilish red dress that held an impossibly commanding disposition. "Time to play truth or dare." She smiled mischievously. "Or maybe just dare because no one really tells the truth anymore." She looked pointedly to Raleigh, her best friend._

_"Let's see..." She turned in a circle to find her first victim. She pointed at a fellow brunette cheerleader. "Theresa, I dare you...to go pinch Whitey's ass."_

_Theresa laughed, but was unwavering in her test. "Be right back."_

_Brooke was happy to continue. She circled again, finding the two blondes that had settled in the corner together. "Let's see...Raleigh."_

_"Brooke, come on," Raleigh complained._

_But Brooke was much more no-nonsense in her relationships. She was tired of Raleigh's constant inability to admit how she felt. "I dare you to show us how you really feel. Kiss Lucas."_

_Raleigh looked around for a scapegoat, but Brooke raised her eyebrows challengingly. No beating around the bush this time, the expression implied. Just do it._

_Raleigh suddenly flipped around, grasping at Lucas' face roughly and pulling him in for a very public yet passionate kiss. It wasn't short either. It lasted and grew in intensity, but they both knew it was the wrong time and place._

_Hollers__ sounded around from his teammates. Raleigh's hands went to his chest when she broke away before she ran away from the watching crowd and away from Lucas. She was always running away from him._

_He had no choice but to follow**...**_

**_..._ **Sawyer took a sip from the soda that Haley had brought, slurping loudly despite the look her father gave her that demanded better manners. "I don't get it," she said after a pause.

Lucas leaned forward. "Which part?"

"All of it," she stated matter-of-factly. "This is the same girl that was super hostile to you when you met, right? She's the bitchy, cheerless one from the car story?"

"Language," he ordered. "And she's not a bitch," he mumbled quietly, hoping that none of the other customers would hear their rather peculiar conversation. "She was just tortured, _lost_. Like me. She didn't know how to handle everything. Besides, I thought you said you liked her."

"Oh, I do, but that still doesn't explain how you went from that to this," Sawyer elaborated. "You have this really weird vibe with her. It was like you two couldn't wait to procreate. Hey, is that how you made _me_? At the party?"

"_Procreate_?" Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Just how old are you, young lady?"

She shrugged. "Old enough to know that you're eventually going to jump ships from blond to brunette."

He nearly choked on his own drink. "_What?_ How did you know that?"

She rolled her eyes. "The second girl's name is Brooke. She's the girl from the car. You can't blame me for putting two and two together."

He had no response for that.

"So how'd it happen? How'd you go from Raleigh to Brooke? And do you think it was kinda crummy to go after best friends?"

In a matter of minutes Sawyer had him pegged down perfectly, Lucas realized. She'd analyzed the situation better than he ever had.

It had been a twisted, heartbreaking love triangle that he had never handled correctly. He'd always felt like he was leading one or the other on at all times, never truly knowing whom he rightfully belonged with.

In reality, he'd loved both girls for very different reasons, but only one had pursued him to the point of marriage while the other had let him go long before. For his sake or hers, he still wasn't sure.

He'd barely had a choice in the matter.

"Tell me about Brooke," Sawyer requested. "And I'll have the pancakes." She beamed at him, knowing she was annoying yet lovably so.

Lucas sighed again. "That same night at the party Raleigh called it quits with whatever _vibe_ there'd been between us. She ended things before they even started, so a few weeks later my attention had quickly diverted to her best friend, Brooke Davis. She was energetic and vibrant and full of life. Everything I wasn't. She was exciting and sexy and pulled me into her tantalizing world that threatened to corrupt me in all the best ways**_..._**_"_

_**...** They were at a local bar enjoying what could only be labeled a first date. Lucas still couldn't believe it. A date with the head cheerleader and the most popular girl in all of Tree Hill. It was inconceivable._

_She was different than he'd imagined. She was flirtatious, yes. And she was undoubtedly fun, but she was also the most sincere person he'd ever met, and it intrigued him to no end._

_Brooke laughed, and it was beautiful, happy, carefree. So unlike his own behavior, but he mimicked her and laughed along. It took him some time to realize he was actually allowing himself to relax for once. All thanks to her._

_"Tell me you love Weird Science?" she asked him, referencing the old 1980s film._

_He took a deep sip from his beer before joining in. "'Ah, the family jewels.'"_

_"'He doesn't even have a license, Lisa,'" Brooke played along, quoting more._

_His cell phone sounded, interrupting their light moment and the first real connection they'd made. He peered at the screen. "Out of area?" he read._

_"Booty call?" Brooke joked._

_He pressed ignore, ultimately deciding that whatever drama awaited him on the other line wouldn't be worth it. He turned back to Brooke, providing some heavy eye contact between them. "Where were we?"_

_"Well, are you having fun?" She already knew what his answer would be._

_"Mmm-hmm," he mumbled, feeling the buzz from the alcohol flow through him. He felt so lighthearted. It was like nothing could make him brood now. He was too happy—content to just hang out with her. "I'm glad we did this," he admitted._

_"Good." There was so much tension between them now. More than he'd ever had with Raleigh. This was heat that couldn't be stopped. A line was about to be crossed—one that neither of them had any intention of avoiding. "So what's your take on tattoos?"_

_"I don't know..." He straightened up. "Depends."_

_"Come here." She grabbed his hand and pulled him away, leading him into a back hallway. She leaned against the wall and pulled him in closer, his hand positioned against the wall for support._

_"What do you think…" She trailed off, unzipping her jeans to reveal a small chinese symbol on her lower hip. "About this tattoo?_

_He didn't hesitate. "That tattoo is very, _very_ sexy."_

_"Right answer." She pulled against him, and when their lips touched it created an earthquake—an incomparable bombshell of emotions. It was heat and fire and delirium. It awakened a yearning in Lucas that had never existed before, and suddenly he was more aware of her body than his own. And he wanted to claim every part of her immediately**...**_

**_..._** Sawyer smiled alertly just as Haley was setting down their breakfast orders of pancakes and omelets. "I take back what I said. You and _Brooke_ had a vibe. I wouldn't be surprised if you told me that I was conceived then and there at the bar."

Lucas fidgeted uncomfortably. "Trust me, you _weren't_."

Not only was it their first kiss, but he didn't feel it was right to tell his daughter it was also the night he lost his virginity. She would really analyze _that_.

Sawyer nodded in acceptance, diving quickly into her food. She grabbed the bottle of syrup and quickly slathered it onto her large stack of pancakes. She took a bite of the crunchy bacon. "So your and Raleigh's connection was based on infatuation and similar interests, but your connection with Brooke was based on your mutual physical attraction to each other and your obvious differences?"

Nailed it again. Sawyer clearly had a gift.

"Something like that," he offered vaguely.

"Hmmm," she sounded like she were deciding something. She gestured forward. "Go on. Continue. What about the last girl?"

"Okay." He could barely remember now. It wasn't nearly as memorable as the first two. "It was a week after my novel had been published. We were up late celebrating at a restaurant the night before a signing. We began as two platonic co-workers that simply escalated as the night went on. Let's call the girl—"

"Julia," Sawyer interjected.

"_Julia_," Lucas agreed. "We were just having dinner in Omaha, but it turned into something special**_..._**_"_

_**...** Julia looked ravishing in her cute yellow dress. Her hair was simply hanging around her shoulders and her makeup was light. He realized then that despite being so successful at such a young age she was also devastatingly _normal_. It was a welcomed change from the usual dates he went on._

_They were outside on the patio finishing off some last drinks before they'd have to go back to the hotel and back to work._

_Until then, they could continue their peaceful moment of just sitting across from each other, completely content with silence._

_The restaurant band set up their instruments on stage and began to awaken the night with their music._

_Julia listened intently. "I love this song," she declared, closing her eyes and tapping her foot to the beat of the music. It was an old bluesy song, likely from the jazz era, but Julia seemed to know each shift in tempo and the methodical, low-key rhythm._

_Lucas suddenly felt like he were in an old-time movie and this was an impending romantic moment. "Would you like to dance?"_

_Her eyes opened slowly, appearing dream-like. She nodded as his hand reached around and encompassed hers. He helped her off of her seat and they both made their way to the cobblestone dance floor._

_Her hands wrapped around his shoulders while his found her waist. They swayed from side to side, staring into each other's eyes like there was no one else in the world but them. They were each other's distractions._

_And the moment came upon them as they danced. His lips reached hers, and it was slow and short. It was a quick peck, but it also held the promise of a burgeoning relationship. One that didn't have to be complicated or tragic. It could just _be_**...**_

**_..._** Sawyer took one last bite of her hash browns before pushing the plate away. "Julia definitely seems the most motherly," she commented without emotion. "But I don't see her as your epic romance."

Lucas' eyebrows rose without his consent. "Is that so?"

She nodded. "Yep. I think you'd want someone that wouldn't bring too much drama, but that wouldn't be boring either. I think you'd want to be satisfied just spending time with her, but you'd never want to be too comfortable because you like spontaneity. You need someone to laugh with and to have fun with. Someone to take you out of that head of yours and just live without over-thinking it like you tend to do."

"That's quite a list, hun." He smiled kindly. "You think I found her yet?"

"Maybe you didn't have to. Maybe she found _you_."

Lucas chuckled. _Could his daughter be any wiser?_

"So who was the best kisser?" she demanded curiously.

"They were all great," Lucas disclosed. "Just...different. Raleigh's kiss was strong, powerful. It grappled with all the sadness and hardship she'd gone through. She threw so much love my way because she didn't know where else to place it. And Brooke? She was all experience and sex appeal. She knew what buttons to push to get a reaction out of me and she _definitely_ got it. Julia was tentative and sweet, but full of possibility. It was easy with her. Like I said, they were all great. _Equal_."

Sawyer smirked. "Sure, Dad. Whatever you need to believe."

She was right, of course. He knew who was best. The truth was that only one of the three girls knew how to kiss—_truly_ kiss—and it had been far too long since he'd felt her lips on his.

* * *

**REVIEW! And I'm sorry about all the Leyton/Lincas if you're not a fan. It's very necessary, though.**


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